-seem to express the feeling of joy that pervades all nature in June. The birds 

 arrive here about the middle of May, the males coming a few days before the 

 females. They resort at once to the hay meadow.s, and remain there through the 

 nesting season whicli is concluded by the time the hay is read}' to cut. Whilst 

 on the farms their food consists entireh' of insects, of which the caterpillars that 

 feed on clover form the greater part. These caterpillars are very abundant, and, 

 where they are not kept in check by the birds, sometimes do serious injury, so 

 that apart from its appearance, and its good qualities as a musician, the Bobolink 

 lias a claim upon us which entitles it to our best care and protection. After the 

 hay is cut the males lose tlieir black and white plumage, and become like the 

 females and j'oung in appearance, of a yellowish brown color. They then asso- 

 ciate in small flocks and frequent the marshes, feeding on wild rice and the seeds 

 of some rush-like plants until the first frosts come, when they retire to the south 

 for the winter. 



In the rice growing States these birds are sometimes accused of doing con- 

 siderable mischief to the planters' crops, but I am inclined to think that the 

 various species of blackbirds which also resort to these States, are the principal 

 depredators, and by reason of their greater abundance do the most of the damage. 



Meadoivlark. The Meadowlark is a common though, unfortunatelj', not 

 now an abundant bird on the farm. Some years ago it could be found wheI■e^■er 

 the land was cultivated, all through the Province, but owing to its size and slow 

 straight flight, which makes it an eiisv niaik for t\\r gnnn<'r, its numbei-s are 

 decreasing very fast. This is a great pity, fur it is an I'xcrfdiiigly vahiable bird 

 to the farmer. From the time of its arrival here in .March until its departure in 

 November it resorts to the cultivated land and grass meadows, feeding entirely 

 on insects, and never indulging in grain or fruit of any kind. All its work being 

 done amongst the crops upon which man expends his labor and to which he is 

 compelled ti> look for his subsistence, the benefit conferred is direct and .should 

 be appreciated. We cannot make any retui-n for the good it does, but we can at 

 least refrain from destroyini,' its life, and exert ourselves a little to prevent others 

 from doing so. The class <ii' insects upoii which this bird feeds during the early 

 part of the season is perliaps the nmsi injui-iuus to vegetable life of all our insect 

 enemies. Its food con.sists chietiy of tliose known as cut worms, wire worms, etc., 

 all of which work underground for the most part during the day and only emerge 

 from their hiding places at night. By some highly developed faculty the 

 Meadowlark is enabled to locate these creatures in their hiding places, and being 

 provided with a sharp beak of sufficient length for the purpose, is able to drag 

 them out and devour them. Of all the .stomachs I have examined prior to 

 Julv. thr |irinci|)rtl cnntiuts were wire worms, cut worms, and some few 

 -otht'i' (Mtei]iillais .iml liertirs ; later in the season the food consisted principally 

 of gr.issliojipcrs (hi two or three occasions I have found a few of these birds 

 wintering with us, in the vicinity of market ^aidens, and being curious to know 

 if at that .season they had been compellnl to iall liack on a .seed or vegetable diet, 

 I shot one out of each lot, and T fomid the l.irds were in remarkably good 

 condition. Their stomachs contaiuiMl, however, nothing but insects, chiefly bugs 

 and beetles, which they had piol)alily obtained from manure heaps and the 

 refuse cabbages left in the gardens Thise l.irds build a domed nest on the ground, 

 in grass fields ; their eggs and youu- ,iiv tlieiefore liable to be destroyed by Crows, 

 skunks and other vermin, and those that escape their natural enemies are subject 

 to such continued pei'secution from gunners who ought to know better, that our 

 baautiful and useful Meadowlark is in <langer of extermination, unless some 

 effort is made for its protection. 



